DREW PETERSON ARREST PUTS KINK IN FUTURE MARRIAGE PLANS

May 7 2009

Bolingbrook, IL – The cat and mouse game that has been the Drew Peterson investigation has suddenly turned a corner as police officials charged the former police sergeant with murder. Peterson was charged in the death of his third wife, Kathleen Savio, in 2004 and is suspected in the disappearance and possible murder of his fourth wife Stacy Peterson. It is not immediately clear if the Grand Jury, which is still
investigating the possibility of charges in the second case, but many are expecting action in that case after the murder indictment.

Peterson, a 29-year veteran of the Bolingbrook police department, has been under investigation by police since the disappearance of his fourth wife in 2007. The charges against him have long been expected by all parties despite largely circumstantial evidence in the case. It is not immediately clear how these charges and imprisonment will impact Peterson’s personal life or the possibility of him marrying again.

“There’s no doubt that Peterson has become a national celebrity, one of those rare circumstances where a criminal gains notoriety far beyond what one would think would be rational for the type of crime. Sometimes its circumstance, sometimes it’s that magical ‘X’ factor, but regardless of the reasons occasionally certain people just capture the public’s imagination,” said Scrape TV Crime analyst Willard Weston. “That will no doubt garner him a lot of attention and action in the romantic realm as celebrities tend to do. Quite often those kinds of people are a little bit sketchy but at least he will have a lot to choose from.”

Peterson has been dating and reportedly planned to marry 24-year old Christina Raines. That of course was before the arrest and it’s not immediately clear what will happen to those plans.

“Marriage is hard and with one partner being behind bars it becomes all the more difficult. Obviously Peterson has had some rough luck with previous wives and adding the complexity of likely lifetime imprisonment probably won’t do this relationship any good,” said Scrape TV Romance analyst Ingrid Valencia. “Prison relationships are a hard thing to maintain because there are just so many temptations both inside and outside of the prison. It’s also going to be difficult for Peterson to live the way he’s used to living in a marriage being so out of physical touch, though who knows, that may be his key to happiness.”

Outside the murder and the disappearance, Peterson’s previous wives filed for divorce with allegations of infidelity and domestic abuse.

“Infidelity in a prison relationship is almost a given but at least he will be able to resist using his fists. Those bars make punching a lot more difficult in my experience,” continued Valencia. “Obviously though Peterson has been very unlucky in love and it may be that he has just fallen into old routines over and over again and this may prove to help break him out of that rut. Here’s hoping for love.”

Raines has not yet spoken to the media and Peterson has remained largely mum on the status of that relationship. It is expected though that should this relationship end, Peterson may have his choice of women once he enters prison.

“He could try the other team as well. I’m sure there would be more than a few people in the Illinois prison system who share his particular view of intimacy. It may not be marriage exactly, but at least it’s love,” continued Valencia. “Sometimes things hit you unexpectedly and love can be quite irrational in that regard. Sometimes you just have to go with what fate gives you.”

Illinois has not yet legalized same-sex marriage but such relationships are generally not challenged, especially in prison. 

Mike Michaels, American Correspondent

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